Celebrating the Servant-Savior The Gospel of Isaiah Jason S. DeRouchie, PhD Professor of Old Testament and Biblical Theology Bethlehem College & Seminary www.jasonderouchie.com Bethlehem Baptist Church, 2017

Isaiah 40:1–11 Main idea: A voice calls hearers to comfort Jerusalem, to prepare the way of the LORD, and to declare good news in the LORD alone.

Literary Context: Numerous cycles of punishment to hope, immediate-interim and future-messianic: 2–5 (opened with image of the nations journeying to Zion), 6–12 (moved through Assyrian crisis to a 2nd exodus led by messianic king) 13–27 (moved through global destruction to 2nd exodus, 27:12–13) 28–37 (moves through Assyrian crisis to 2nd exodus led by Yahweh as king) 6 “Woes”: A (28:1–29); B (29:1–14); C (29:15–24); A’ (30:1–33); B’ (31:1–32:20); C’ (33:1–35:10) See 31:1, 8–9; 32:1–3, 33:2, 17, 22; 35:1–10 Narrative of immediate hope (36–37)

Literary Context: Recursive patterns of punishment to hope, interim and messianic: 2–5 (opened with image of return to Zion), 6–12 (moved through Assyrian crisis to a 2nd exodus led by messianic king) 13–27 (moved through global destruction to 2nd exodus, 27:12–13) 28–37 (moves through Assyrian crisis to 2nd exodus led by Yahweh as king) 6 “Woes”: A (28:1–29); B (29:1–14); C (29:15–24); A’ (30:1–33); B’ (31:1–32:20); C’ (33:1–35:10) See 31:1, 8–9; 32:1–3, 33:2, 17, 22; 35:1–10 Narrative of immediate hope (36–37)

38–39: Narrative signaling more deliverance is needed See the coming Babylonian crisis 39:5–8

I. A Voice Calls Many to Comfort Jerusalem (40:1–2) “Comfort my people…. Speak to the heart of Jerusalem” (vv. 1–2). 3 words of hope (v. 2): Her fixed period of exilic servitude is over. God has pardoned her iniquities (59:2; 53:5, 11). Isa 59:2. But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.

I. A Voice Calls Many to Comfort Jerusalem (40:1–2) “Comfort my people…. Speak to the heart of Jerusalem” (vv. 1–2). 3 words of hope (v. 2): Her fixed period of exilic servitude is over. God has pardoned her iniquities (59:2; 53:5, 11). Isa 59:2. Isa 53:5, 11. But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed…. 11 By his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. God has paid out full retribution (tit for tat).

II. A Voice Calls Many to Prepare the Way of the LORD (40:3–5) “In the wilderness” (v. 3) The state of God’s people: Isa 64:10. Your holy cities have become a wilderness; Zion has become a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation.

God will bring refreshment: Isa 32:14–17. For the palace is forsaken, the populous city deserted; the hill and the watchtower will become dens forever, a joy of wild donkeys, a pasture of flocks; 15 until the Spirit is poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, and the fruitful field is deemed a forest. 16 Then justice will dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness abide in the fruitful field. 17 And the effect of righteousness will be peace, and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever. Isa 51:3. For the LORD comforts Zion; he comforts all her waste places and makes her wilderness like Eden, her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the voice of song. Cf. 35:1–10; 41:17–20; 43:19–21

“Prepare the way of the LORD” Mark 1:2–4. “Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way, 3 the voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.’” 4 John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. Isa 11:16. And there will be a highway from Assyria for the remnant that remains of his people, as there was for Israel when they came up from the land of Egypt.

Isa 35:8–10. And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it. It shall belong to those who walk on the way; even if they are fools, they shall not go astray. 9 No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it; they shall not be found there, but the redeemed shall walk there. 10 And the ransomed of the LORD shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. Isa 43:19. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.

“the glory of the LORD shall be revealed” (v. 5) Isa 6:3. “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth shall be full of his glory!” Isa 11:9. The earth has become full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea. Isa 33:17. Your eyes will behold the king in his beauty. Isa 35:1–2. The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus…. 2 They shall see the glory of the LORD, the majesty of our God.

III. A Voice Calls an Individual to Declare Good News in the LORD Alone (40:6–11) A person must declare the surety and constancy of God’s word (40:6–8) Isa 40:21–25. 1 Pet 1:23–25. You have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; 24 for “All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, 25 but the word of the Lord remains forever.” And this word is the good news that was preached to you.

A herald of good news must proclaim the coming of Yahweh as shepherd-king (40:9– 11) “herald of good news” (cf. Isa 52:7; 61:1) Isa 52:7. How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.” Isa 61:1. The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound.

Mark 1:14–15. Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe the gospel.” Rom 1:1–3. Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, 2 which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, 3 concerning his Son.

“fear not!” Isa 35:3–6. Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. 4 Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.” 5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; 6 then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert.

“Behold your God!” His arm rules for him. Isa 59:16–17. He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no one to intercede; then his own arm brought him salvation, and his righteousness upheld him. 17 He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on his head; he put on garments of vengeance for clothing, and wrapped himself in zeal as a cloak. Isa 53:1–3. Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? 2 For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should look at him. 3 He was despised and rejected by men.

“Behold your God!” His arm rules for him. His reward and recompense are with him. Isa 62:10–12. Go through, go through the gates; prepare the way for the people; build up, build up the highway; clear it of stones; lift up a signal over the peoples. 11 Behold, the LORD has proclaimed to the end of the earth: Say to the daughter of Zion, “Behold, your salvation comes; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him.” 12 And they shall be called The Holy People, The Redeemed of the LORD; and you shall be called Sought Out, A City Not Forsaken. Rev 22:12. Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay everyone for what he has done. Cf. Rom 2:9–10.

He will tend his flock like a shepherd. Ezek 36:23. And I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd. John 10:11, 16, 27–28. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep…. 16 And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd…. 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.